DOLE Conducts Jobs Fair for Displaced Saudi OFWs

A job and livelihood fair has been slated for overseas Filipino workers displaced from Saudi Arabia, the Department of Labor and Employment said.

The one-day event is set on March 28 at the Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC) in Quezon City. Returning OFWs from nine distressed Saudi Arabian companies have pre-registered with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration early this week, it was learned.

“This is part of our continuing effort to help our OFWs especially those who lost their jobs in Saudi Arabia,” Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said.

Participating OFWs are those displaced from nine firms namely Mohammed al-Mojil Group (MMG), Saudi Bin Laden Group of Companies (SBG), Saudi Oger Ltd. (SOL), Mohammad Hameed Al-Bargash & Bros. Trading & Construction, Aluminum Company (ALUMCO L.L.C.), Rajeh H. Al Merri Contracting & Trading Company, Fawzi Salah-Al Nairani Contracting Company, Arabtec Construction L.L.C., and Real Estate Development and Investment Company.

The companies, engaged in construction, maintenance, and electrical services, had financial difficulties as an aftermath of the oil crisis last year.

The majority of the pre-registered participants to the jobs fair are from the National Capital Region (NCR), and from Regions 3 and 4-A. Walk-in applicants, however, will also be accommodated.

OWWA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said 20 agencies for overseas employment and 20 employers for local job placement were invited to the fair and will be hiring applicants on the spot.

Cacdac said similar activities have been set for displaced OFWs from other regions such as in Cebu and Mandaue starting this week.

Cacdac invites all OFWs formerly employed in the said firms in Saudi Arabia to grab the opportunity to pre-register on the scheduled dates in order to facilitate and hasten the processing of their applications. (DOLE)